Looking for the products I demonstrated on TV or radio? Here are they are, with links to my longer reviews and where you can buy them on-line. This article was updated on November 21, 2017. Prices stated were those found on Amazon, unless stated otherwise, and may reflect substantial Black Friday/Cyber Monday discounts which may not be in effect when you read this.

Robots are huge this holiday: Cozmo by Ankiis a personality-packing bot that plays games, and so much more. Kids learn to visually program Cozmo on their cell phone making him a fun and super smart gift! Read more on JamesGames, here, or purchase it on Amazon.

STEM Toys

Learning to Code

On the Brink ($14.99 at Target) is a single player puzzle game that teaches logic and coding without batteries or computers! It is one of three sets from ThinkFun. Read the review here.

Osmo Coding Jam ($59.99) is an expansion pack for use with Osmo and your iPad. Unlike last year's creativity set for Osmo, this one had less magic and more "noise". Osmo's other big set this year Osmo MindRacers, ($59.99) ties in with the Hot Wheels franchise in a fast paced virtual racing game. Read the review here.

Kibo 14 Kit from Kinderlabs ($359) is novel because of its "no-tablet-or-computer-needed" approach. You assemble the blocks into programs and then scan their bar-codes into the robot. Read my review here.

Sphero Mini (from $49.99 at Sphero.com, but many retailers are raising the price above list) is a small robot that you can drive like an RC vehicle or rudimentarily program. Read the full review here.

Electrical Kits

Pai's Circuit Conductor ($49.99 on the company's website) is an electronic set aimed at kids 4 & up (but probably better for kids 7 & up) that mixes magnets and augmented reality. Kids construct circuits from magnetic components as directed by an app, and then view the way electricity flows through them via augmented reality on their tablet's screen. Read the full review here.

Tablets

LeapFrog Epic ($95) is a tablet designed for kids from the ground up. Beyond the built-in apps, the 7" tablet comes with a three month subcription to LeapFrog's on-line virtual world.

Family Hi-Tech Gaming

From the movie theater directly to your living room, Anki OverDrive: Fast and Furious Edition is the 21st century’s answer to slot cars. Play against or alongside the Dom and the rest of the crew. Each AI controlled car has its own personality and improves the more you win! Read more on JamesGames, here, or purchase it on Amazon.

While it may seem that video games are all violent, there are notable exceptions. Zoo Tycoon for Xbox One ($24.99) is a complete refresh of the original game. The graphics have been completely redone, and now you can share the zoo you design on the cloud. Also, if you have a Kinect, this title supports it, allowing you to use your voice and movement to interact with the animals. On the Xbox One or new Xbox One X look at Forza Motorsport 7 (from $50 & up), the fastest, most detailed racing game of the year. Even better, you can play it on Windows 10 machines, too! Disneyland Adventures ($29.96) lets kids explore the theme park and play on 18 iconic rides!

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Dr. Panda Plus Home Designer ($39.99) Kids draw on the coloring book style cards with the included dry-erase markers and then scan their creations into the app.

The Curiscope Vituali-tee T-Shirt ($29.99) brings the insides of the human body into view using Augmented Reality on a cell phone. The same artists created a number of images to view in Virtual Reality from DK ($13.68). The book also comes with a cardboard viewer to hold your smartphone as you view the images, plus lots of info on what goes into VR and how it can be used.

Oculus Rift has dropped its entry price to a $399 bundle for the holidays. The HTC Vive which lets you move while you play is now down to $599, but look for holiday special bundles and specials. Sony's PlayStation VR Skyrim ($349) bundle comes with the great game and everything you need to enter VR, exccept the Playstation Pro, itself. Finally, a number of companies have partnered with Microsoft's new Mixed Reality platform.

Star Wars Play

Vtech Star Wars First Order StormTrooper Watch ($50) has features like a camera, that even the Apple Watch doesn't have!

Star Wars R2-D2 App-Enabled Droid by Sphero ($129.99) will be a hit with Star Wars fans, particularly because of its attention to detail and app. But, there is something a bit off about it. Shouldn't a droid this expensive have a working antenna and probe? Also, in its semi-autonomous mode it had trouble negotiating our test rooms, tending to unceremoniously smashing about in a very un-R2D2 like manner. Read our full review here. Instead, look at the....

For Moms and Dads

With the SanDisk iXpand Base, back up your iPhone’s pictures, videos and contacts while your phone charges via lightning port. Available starting at 49.99 it takes the worry and hassle out of the holidays. Read more on JamesGames, here, or purchase it on Amazon.

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Editiors Note on Sponsorship: All products were provided by the manufacturers for consideration, some of whom also sponsored my appearances on air this year. All opinions on the site and on-air are soley mine; sponsors have no editorial control.

JamesGames.com is a project of Acme Computing Inc. Products reviewed are usually provided by the manufactures. Except where specifically stated no other consideration has been provided by the manufacturers. Some links to Amazon.com may yeild a referral fee to Acme Computing Inc. Copyright 1999-2017 Acme Computing Inc.